Remotely controlled button switch



June 10, 1958 PANZENHAGEN 2,838,629

REMOTELY CONTROLLED BUTTON SWITCH Filed Oct. 31, 1955 IN VEN TOR:

ILgNH/IRZY Ellwzmmm United States Patent REMOTELY CONTROLLED BUTTGN swrrcn Leonhard R. Panzenhagen, Adrian, Mich, assignor to Sperti Faraday, Inc., Adrian, Mich, a corporation of Ohio Application October 31, 1955, Serial No. 543,678

12 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-83) This invention relates to a remotely controlled electric button switch. More particularly, it deals with a multi-- contact switch operated by a closed pneumatic system controlled at a point remote from the electrical contacts of the switch, such as for example, a hospital patient call button adapted to be used where the sparking of making and breaking electrical contacts is a tire hazard as in a high oxygen containing atmosphere under an oxygen tent.

It is an object of this invention to produce a simple, eflilcient, effective, economic, easily sterilized, neat, clean, and easy to repair remote pneumatically controlled locking button electrical switch, in which the pneumatic controller therefor is entirely free from electrical apparatus that could be a tire hazard.

Another object is to produce such a remotely controlled switch adapted as a call button for hospital patients under oxygen tents, which switch is adapted to operate through the standard wall plugs for prior art call button switches.

Another object is to produce such a switch which may have a plurality of pneumatic operating controls, for one each of a plurality of patients on separate beds in a single room.

Another object is to produce such a switch which may give a plurality of different signals in one or different locations, including both audible and visible signals, at least one of which signals may be released only when, for example, a nurse answers the call of the patient originally operating the switch.

Another object is to produce such a switch which is operated by a flexible hermetically closed pneumatic system which after deformation and release returns to its normal position without the air of external mechanical means.

Generally speaking, the penumatically operated and remotely controlled electrical switch of this invention comprises a plurality of spaced electrical contacts which are bridged by a reciprocating plunger operated by a pneumatic normally retracted bellows, the bellows being connected hermetically by a tube to a squeeze bulb at a point remote from the bellows and switch, so that by compressing or squeezing the bulb, the bellows is extended to move the reciprocating member or plunger to bridge the electrical contacts. The pneumatic bulb and bellows are made of sufficiently resilient material so that when the pressure is released from the bulb, the bulb and bellows will be returned to their normal retracted position. The plunger operated by the bellows may remain bridging at least part of the electrical contacts in the switch after retraction of the bellows, until it is manually reset under the control of a separate manual operating means or button located at the electrical switch remote from the bellows. The reciprocating plunger also may include an additional contact bridging member which will reset itself under the action of a spring or other resilient means as soon as the bellows is retracted, without releasing all the electrical con- 2,838,629 Patented June 10, 1958 tacts, so that, for example a buzzer or audible signal will only be operated as long as the bulb is squeezed, while a visible signal will remain until the switch is actually manually reset. Thus, the call button of this invention, when used for hospital patients under oxygen tents, may have the bulb placed under the tent with the patient, while the tube extends outside of the tent to the wall switch, so that no electrical contacts or arcing will occur in the oxygen atmosphere under the tent to produce a fire hazard. This safety feature is very important because it is practically impossible to prevent a slight amount of arcing in making and breaking electrical contact switches, which are now primarily used for signalling and patient call buttons in hospitals.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in ccnunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one embodiment of the switch and on a reduced scale part of its remotely controlled pneumatic system, with the electrical portion of the switch being shown in its partially energized condition after it has been pneumatically operated and before it has been reset;

Fig. 1a is a Y-connection which may be inserted near the electrical portion in the pneumatic control system of Fig. 1 for plural pneumatic controls;

Fig, 2 is a reduced sectional view similar to l of the electrical portion of the switch shown in its fully operated position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the switch in its reset or fully inoperative position;

Fig. 4 is an end view taken from the left end of the switch shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line V-V of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a partial view of the right end of the switch shown in Fig. 2 or 3.

Referring first to Fig. l, the pneumatically operated remote-control switch of this invention comprises a mechanical and electrical portion located in a housing lit and a pneumatic system comprising a normally retracted resilient bellows 11 in said housing It), and a resilient squeeze bulb 12 remote therefrom but connected thereto by a duct or tube 13, preferably flexible. The whole pneumatic system may be made of a plastic material, with at least the bellows 11 and bulb 12 being of a material which readily returns to its normal molded position and is easily hermetically sealed, such as vinyl, neoprene and/ or polyethylene plastics. The mechanical and electrical portion of the switch in housing 1 may be mounted on a wall 14 in a standard type electrical plug socket l5, em ployed for similar but completely electrical calling buttons such as used for patients in hospitals.

If desired, the bulb 12 may comprise a standar of plastic polyethylene bottle or container with a cap 16 through which cap a flexible polyethylene 13 extends into a polyethylene plug 17 that wedges the neck opening of the bottle and to which plug "2 the end of the tube 13 may be hermetically sealed by of heat. Similarly, the bellows end of the tube 13 housing 1.0, may be heat sealed into a similar pl socket 13 which in turn is hermetically sealed in an anchoring ring i9 having a circumferential groove 2 '3 therein for free rotation and removability from the housing 10 by means of set screw 21. Between the ring 19 and socket 18, a tubular extension or nipple 2-3 integral with the bellows 11 may be clamped to completely close the pneumatic system. The relative rotation or swivel of the pneumatic systems bellows 11 in the housing 10 through the cooperation of set screw 21 in groove 20,

prevents the tube 13 from twisting or Collapsing and thus hindering its operation. If desired, the socket 18 may be provided with more than one aperture or with a -connection 13' as shown in Fig. la for a plurality of separate tubes 13 to separate and remote squeeze bulbs 12, such as one for each of two adjacent beds in a two bed hospital room. Thus, the pneumatic system for controlling the mechanical-electrical portion in housing i is completely independent and may be easily removed from the housing by loosening screw 21 and to. a hermetically sealed unit which is self restoring en deformed in any portion thereof, the fluid or air generally in the system always remaining the same so that any compression of any one or more bulbs 12 in the system causes extension of the bellows 11 into the position shown in Fig. 2 for operation of the electrical switch.

Referring now to the structure of the electrical portion of the switch of this invention, its multi-contacts are directly connected to corresponding prongs 25-25 and 25 of the plug, which extend from one end of the housing and cooperates with the plug socket mounted on the wall 14. These prongs or terminals -25 and 26 may be rigidly mounted in a non-electrical conducting base member 27 to which may be connected a non-electrical conducting hollow cylindrical portion 22 of the housing i such as by means of screws 23 (see Fig 4) wl1ich extend through the bottom disc 27 into the relatively thicl; sidewalls of the cylindrical portion 22.. On the inside of the base disc 27 corresponding to each of the plug contacts 25-25 and 26, there is shown anchored corresponding resilient contact springs 3tl-30 and 31, respectively, which may be anchored to the inner ends of the prongs, the springs 3a sa' projecting substantially parallel to their plugs 2525, while the spring 31 is shown projecting across the center of the disc substantially perpendicular to its prong 26. These flexible Phosphor bronze resilient contact springs 30'36 and 31 may correspondingly be connected to their prongs by soldering or by means of screws 32.

inside the cylindrical portion 22 of housing 16 there is also located the mechanical portion of the switch, which comprises an axially reciprocating plunger member 35 which is herein shown to be cup-shaped, and which is movable from the extreme left fully or partly contact bridging position shown in Figs. 2 and 1, respectively, to the extreme right reset or out of contact bridging position shown in Pig. 3. The bellows 11 when extended pushes the whole plunger assembly 35 to its extreme left as shown in Fig. 2, so the contacts 33-ll rest on opposite sides of a herein shown conductive ring extension 36 (which may be round or polygonal corresponding to the contacts) to completely bridge the spaces and complete the circuits between them, as distinguished from the reset or de energized position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the contacts 3ll3ll rest on and are spaced by an insulation or nonconducting projection 37 on the extension 35.

Through the center of these extensions 36 and 37, there may be mounted an additional electrically conductive relatively movable, contact bridging plunger 4-5} for the contact 31 at the center of the disc 27 which is only contactecl when the bellows 11 is fully extended as shown in 2. This relatively reciprocating plunger or piston as has a piston head 41 located inside of the reciprocating cup 55, and normally is maintained spaced away from the bottom of the cup 35, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, by a resilient means such as helical spring 42 shown acting between the head 41 and an electrically conductive bear ing collar or sleeve 43 for the piston rod. Thus, when the bellows ii is extended as in Fig. 2 and only when it is so extended, an electrical connection will be made from the spring 31 through the piston 40, sleeve 43 and bridging member 35 to the common electrical contact spring 39 which corresponds to the prong 25, and to which common contact 25 each of the other prongs 25 and 26 may be connected by the switch of this. invention is released the audible signal also is stopped by the action of spring 42 breaking the contact between contact 31 and piston as shown in Fig. 1. However, the other contacts will remain closed or locked until the plunger assembly 3:3 is reset and their circuits to the common contact 39 through the bridging extension 36 are broken by moving the switch into the positionshown in Fig. 3. These other circuits to contacts 363 and prong terminals 25 may a iospital call button control be: a corridor dome light, a nurses annunciator lamp, a signal lamp in a diet kitchen, a signal lamp in a duty room, a bed bulls-eye lamp as in a ward, and/ or other signals as desired; while the buzzer operated by contact 31 and piston 40 may be in the diet kitchen, the duty room and/ or at the nurses annunciator panel, as desired. Thus, as soon as the pressure is released in the pneumatic control system by releasing of the deformation of the bulb 312, the normal call system of the switch is in the position shown in Fig. l

where it remains until the reset button described below is operated by the attendant or nurse answering the call.

Once the reciprocating plunger assembly and its projecting contact bridging member 36 is pushed to the left as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it remains in this position whether or not the bellows i remains in contactwith the piston head 51 or not, and accordingly before the con; tacts 3t and 3t) bridged by the cup projection 36 may be electrically separated, the plunger assembly 35 must be retracted into the position shown in Fig. 3. This may be done by any suitable extraneous means such as the herein shown manual reset button 5% which slides parallel and oppositely with and along one side of the member 35 in a channel or hole in the housing portion 22. This reversal of direction between button 5%- and cup 35 may be effected by means of stationary pinion or gear 51 in mesh with rack 52 connected to the button 59 and a corresponding rack. 53 on member 35, which rack 53 may comprise spaced apertures in one side or" the cup 35. The pinion 5i herein is shown rotatably mounted in a slot 54 in the end of a stop member 55 which fits into the bottom of the hole in which the reset button 5% slides, and the member 55 may have an extension 56 which abuts against.

the assembly of the base 27, and/ or may be anchored to the cylindrical housing 22 by means of a pin 57 (see Figs. 1 and 5). Thus, when the bellows ll pushes the member 35 to the left, the reset button St: is pushed out to the right from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. l or 2, and when the reset button 50 is manually. pushed in the position shown in Fig. 3, the gear 53 causes the retraction of the reciprocating member or cup 35 back into the position shown in Fig. 3 so that the contacts 3ll3d' are all electrically separated and rest against the non-conductive or insulation projection 37;

The housing 22, mounting plate 27, projecting block 37 (and stop 55) of the mechanical and electrical portion 1% of the switch may be made of suitable non-conducting plastic such as Bakelite or other thermosetting resinous material, which is easy to clean and has a high dielectric strength.

Instead of employing a reversing gear and racks 52 and 53 for resetting the locking contact bridging member 35, there may be employed a catch spring device or other means which may be snapped into operation or pulled out by a manual button similar to 5%, without departing from the scope of this invention.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic remotely controlled switch comprising: a plurality of spaced electrical contacts, a reciprocating member for bridging the space between said contacts, a normally retracted bellows for operating said member to bridge said contacts, a resiliently collapsible pneumatic bulb remote from said bellows, a tube connecting said bellows and said bulb whereby collapse of said bulb extends said bellows and release of said bulb retracts said bellows, and an independent reset means for retracting said member from bridging said contacts after operation of said member by said bellows.

2. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said tube and bulb are made of electrically non-conducting material, which readily restores itself to its rest position after any deformation pressure applied thereto has been released.

3. A switch according to claim 2 wherein said tube and bulb are made of a polyethylene plastic material.

4-. A switch according to claim 1 including means for maintaining said reciprocating member in its contact bridging position until operated by said reset means.

5. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said reset means is manually operated and is located near said reciprocating member.

6. A pneumatic remotely controlled switch comprising: a plurality of spaced electrical contacts, a reciprocating member for bridging the space between said contacts, a normally retracted bellows for operating said member to bridge said contacts, a resiliently collapsible pneumatic bulb remote from said bellows, a tube connecting said bellows and said bulb whereby collapse of said bulb extends said bellows and release of said bulb retracts said bellows, and a rack and pinion means for retracting said member from bridging said contacts after operation of said member by said bellows.

7. A pneumatic remotely controlled locking switch comprising: a plurality of at least three spaced electrical contacts, a first reciprocating member for bridging at least two of said contacts, a second reciprocating member mounted on said first member for bridging a different combination of two of said three contacts than said two contacts operated by said first reciprocating member, resilient means for normally urging said second member out of its contact bridging position of said different two of said contacts, a bellows for operating both of said members to bridge all of said contacts, a collapsible bulb remote from said bellows, a tube connecting said bellows and said bulb whereby collapse of said bulb extends said bellows and vice versa, and reset means for retracting said first member "rom bridging said contacts after operation of said first member by and retraction of said bellows.

8 A switch according to claim 7 wherein said second reciprocating member comprises a piston slidabiy mounted on said first reciprocating member.

switch according to claim 7 wherein said reset comprises push button and a direction reversing mechanism mounted adjacent said first reciprocating member.

10. A swi -h according to claim 9 wherein said remechanism comprises a stationary gear and diametrically opposite racks on said reset means and said first reciprocating member.

11. A switch according to claim 7 wherein one of said plurality of contacts is a common contact and each one oi? the others of said plurality of contacts is paired with said common contact to control separate signalling circuits.

12. A switch according to claim 11 wherein said contacts operated by said first member control a contiguous signal until said first member is reset, and said contacts operated by said second member control an instantaneous signal operated only while said bellows is in its fully extended position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,507,741 Kirk et al. Sept. 9, 1924 1,688,866 Hansen Oct. 23, 1928 1,996,891 Van Valkenburg Apr. 9, 1935 2,039,193 Schwarz Apr. 28, 1936 2,096,502 Wetzel Oct. 19, 1937 2,144,665 Rasmussen Jan. 24, 1939 2,453,231 Kavanagh Nov. 9, 1948 2,466,522 Weber Apr. 5, 1949 2,495,443 Castellano Jan. 24, 1950 2,564,133 Stadler Aug. 14, 1951 2,719,195 Thibaudat Sept. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 321,832 ltaly Oct. 18, 1934 

